U.S. patent application number 17/077462 was filed with the patent office on 2021-04-22 for large mass removal endoscope apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is Sharon A. Hibbs, Michael McGee. Invention is credited to Sharon A. Hibbs, Michael McGee.
Application Number | 20210113073 17/077462 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005196496 |
Filed Date | 2021-04-22 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210113073 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hibbs; Sharon A. ; et
al. |
April 22, 2021 |
LARGE MASS REMOVAL ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS
Abstract
An instrument for use in the gastrointestinal tract of a patient
comprises an endoscope, a vacuum tube independently reciprocal
relative to the endoscope and having a cross section of at least 18
french, and a sleeve that surrounds most of both the endoscope and
vacuum tube.
Inventors: |
Hibbs; Sharon A.; (Overland
Park, KS) ; McGee; Michael; (Kansas City,
MO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hibbs; Sharon A.
McGee; Michael |
Overland Park
Kansas City |
KS
MO |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005196496 |
Appl. No.: |
17/077462 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62924266 |
Oct 22, 2019 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 17/22 20130101;
A61B 2017/22079 20130101; A61B 2217/005 20130101; A61B 1/2736
20130101; A61B 2217/007 20130101; A61B 1/015 20130101; A61B 1/00135
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61B 1/015 20060101
A61B001/015; A61B 1/00 20060101 A61B001/00; A61B 17/22 20060101
A61B017/22 |
Claims
1. An instrument for performing medical procedures in a patient
comprising: a) an elongate endoscope including a source of water
and having an optical viewing system; b) an elongate vacuum tube
adjacent to the endoscope, the vacuum tube being at least 18 french
in cross section and having a lower opening to allow debris to be
drawn into the tube when under vacuum, and a vacuum system joined
to the tube for drawing a vacuum therein; and c) a sleeve
surrounding both the endoscope and the vacuum tube.
2. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein: a) the vacuum tube
is circular and in the range of 18 to 34 french in cross
section.
3. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein: a) The endoscope
and vacuum tube are selectively reciprocally moveable with respect
to each other and the sleeve.
4. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein: a) the vacuum tube
has an upper lip that extends outwardly and engages at least one of
the endoscope and an upper end of the sleeve, so as to limit
downward movement of the vacuum tube relative to the endoscope and
sleeve.
5. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein: a) the vacuum tube
includes a soft pliable sleeve at the lower end thereof.
6. An instrument for performing medical procedures in a patient
comprising: a) an elongate endoscope including a source of water
and having an optical viewing system; b) an elongate vacuum tube
adjacent to the endoscope, the vacuum tube being 24 to 34 french in
cross section and having a lower opening to allow debris to be
drawn into the tube when under vacuum, and a vacuum system joined
to the tube for drawing a vacuum therein; and c) a sleeve
surrounding both the endoscope and the vacuum tube.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 62/924,266, filed Oct. 22, 2019, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety
by reference.
BACKROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention is to the combination of a relatively large
suction tube with a conventional endoscope within a sleeve to
provide for the removal of large masses, especially clotted blood,
from the stomach or other regions of the body.
[0003] Doctors often encounter situations within a patient where
large amounts of blood have coagulated in clumps, or other large
debris is located in the stomach or elsewhere, that make it
difficult for the doctor to visualize the area through a
conventional endoscope and perform medical activity to correct the
cause of the bleeding or to see and correct other issues producing
a medical problem.
[0004] Endoscopes for upper and lower gastrointestinal tracks are
frequently equipped with a light source, a water spray, an optical
viewing system and a vacuum system. Unfortunately, the vacuum
system associated with the conventional endoscopes is only suitable
for removal of small volumes of liquid or of small particles. The
large clumps, especially found with significant bleeding, cannot be
removed by the comparatively narrow vacuum tube found in
conventional endoscopes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An instrument comprising an endoscope that is joined with a
comparatively large vacuum lumen or tube within a common sleeve.
The overall instrument is sized to be received within narrow
openings in the gastrointestinal track of the body, especially
through the esophageal opening.
[0006] The vacuum tube is slideably mounted adjacent the endoscope
and either the endoscope or the vacuum tube can be advanced in
front of the other or together, so as to make the front end thereof
more available for use. That is, the tube and endoscope are
reciprocal with respect to each other and to the sleeve. A stop is
provided to limit how far the vacuum tube can advance relative to
the endoscope and sleeve. Preferably, the vacuum tube is in the
range of 18 to 34 french and especially in the range from 24 to 28
french.
[0007] Various objects and advantages of this invention will become
apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of
illustration and example, certain embodiments of this
invention.
[0008] The drawings constitute a part of this specification and
include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and
illustrate various objects and features thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view of an instrument
for insertion into the gastrointestinal tract, showing an endoscope
and a vacuum tube within a sleeve, with portions removed to show
detail thereof and in a tube forward configuration.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view of the instrument
with portions removed to show detail thereof and in a tube rearward
configuration.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the instrument, taken
along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a partially schematic prospective view of the
instrument shown inserted in a patient with the tube and a
gastrointestinal tract of the patient illustrated as positioned in
a body of the patient and with controls for the instrument shown
schematically.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0013] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which
may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural
and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted
as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a
representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to
variously employ the present invention in virtually any
appropriately detailed structure.
[0014] The reference numeral 1 generally represents an assembly or
instrument for medical use to conduct medical procedures along the
gastrointestinal tract 3 of a patient 4.
[0015] The instrument 1 includes an endoscope 8 which in the
illustrated embodiment is a pediatric endoscope, as such scopes are
of a smaller size than adult scopes and thus function well with the
present invention which includes a vacuum tube 9 and a sleeve 10.
It is foreseen that the endoscope 8 could be either an upper
gastrointestinal tract endoscope or a lower gastrointestinal tract
endoscope or any similar scope, but it is preferred that the
endoscope be a pediatric upper gastrointestinal tract scope,
especially having a length of approximately 53 centimeters, because
this is the length of the normal upper human gastrointestinal
tract, although length can be varied with use or person to be used
upon.
[0016] The endoscope 8 includes an elongate outer sheath 14
encompassing internal channels and electrical conduct 16.
Endoscopes vary somewhat in what each include and the size, shape,
and layout of the various channels and conducts incorporated
therein and it is foreseen that virtually any such endoscope could
be used in conjunction with the invention. Typical endoscopes can
be seen in thousands of patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 8,016,753,
incorporated herein by reference.
[0017] The endoscope 8 illustrated has a body 19 that includes a
light, air tube, and multiple water spray tubes, each joined to a
light source 20, an air source 21, a water spray source 22, which
provides a light spray, and an irrigation source 23 that provides a
heavier flow respectively, all at a lower end or tip 26 of the
endoscope 8. Such also provide optics 27 through a camera, fiber
optics, or the like, that allow a physician conducting the
procedure using the endoscopes 8 to view images at the tip 26 of
the endoscope 8 to view what is taking place at or near the tip 26
on a screen 30, or the like. The optics are herein included in an
elongate shaft 33 that can be reciprocated within the body 19 that
receives the shaft 33. The various sources for light 20, air 21,
water 22 and 23 are all centrally controlled through a console 36
that has conventional keyboard control, or the like, and the
monitor 30.
[0018] The endoscope 8 also typically incorporates a vacuum lumen
38 that is relatively narrow and typically about 4 to 6 french in
size. The lumen 38 with an opening at or near the tip 26 and that
is designed to remove water from sources 22 and 23, as well as
other light fluids and possibly small solids from the
gastrointestinal area, especially the stomach 40. The vacuum lumen
38 discharges into a collection chamber 46 which in turn is fluidly
connected to a vacuum pump 47 which provides the vacuum to the
lumen 38. The pump 47 is controlled by the operator through the
console 36. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the endoscope shaft 33 can be
retracted or withdrawn into the sleeve 10 or, as shown in FIG. 2,
can be extended from the sleeve 10. Typically, the overall
endoscope 8 is sized in the range of 4 to 10 french in cross
section with smaller being preferred to allow a larger vacuum tube
9 to be used therewith.
[0019] The vacuum tube 9 is elongate and extends adjacent to the
endoscope 8. Both the tube 9 and lower part of the endoscope 8 are
generally encircled by the sleeve 10. The tube 9 is preferably
about 53 centimeters in length which is the common length of the
human adult upper gastrointestinal tract, but it is foreseen that
it can be shorter or longer as patient size or circumstances
warrant. The vacuum tube 9 is sized in cross section to approach
the size of the esophageal passage when combined with the endoscope
8 and sleeve 10 to allow for the largest interior cross section of
the tube 9. A preferred cross sectional size of the tube 9 is
approximately 34 french; however, in some situations the size is
lowered to the range of 18 to 33 french. Therefore, the range of
size is typically 18 to 34 french and preferred to be 24 to 28
french. The total cross sectional size of the instrument 1 is
normally maintained under 50 french to fit in the esophagus opening
of most patients. This, in turn, allows removal of large debris,
such as food particles, ingested non food items, and conglomerated
blood. Removal of a large accumulation of conglomerated blood is
the major purpose of the tube 9, but is also functions with the
other items noted. Preferably, the tube has a size of 19 to 20
french, but depending on circumstances, could be less if a large
endoscope must be used or more, especially if the patient has a
large esophageal opening.
[0020] Located at a lower end of the tube 8 in a soft pliable
sleeve 55 that is slightly tapered toward center and which acts as
a barrier to prevent the tube 9 from hitting the wall of the
stomach 40 or other internal structure and doing damage to the
structure. The sleeve 55 is preferably about one centimeter in
axial length and has approximately the same interior diameter as
the tube 9 where joined thereto. The sleeve 55 is preferably
constructed of a soft pliable silicone.
[0021] An upper end 56 of the tube 9 is joined to a vacuum line 57,
which in turn is fluidly joined to the collection chamber 46. In
this manner, when the vacuum pump 47 is on, the tube 9 can draw
large pieces or clumps of debris through the sleeve 55 and
eventually into the collection chamber 46. Flow through the vacuum
tube 9 into the collection chamber 46 is preferably controlled by a
valve 58; however, it is foreseen that a nurse or other medical
practioner could simply disconnect the tube 10. A valve 59 also
controls the vacuum line of the endoscope 8.
[0022] The tube upper end 56 also includes a radially extending lip
60 which is sized and positioned to engage a lip 61 on the
endoscope 8 and/or the top end 62 of the sleeve 10. The tube 9 thus
has a range of extension from the sleeve 10 from the configuration
or position wherein it is not extended at all or withdrawn, as seen
in FIG. 2, to where it is extended several centimeters, such as is
seen in FIG. 1.
[0023] As can be appreciated, the tube 9 allows removal of large
debris, especially large clots of blood which cannot be removed by
conventional endoscopes. This allows a physician to see and treat a
source of a medical problem quicker than conventional
procedures.
[0024] It is to be understood that while certain forms of the
present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is
not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts
described and shown.
* * * * *